Sir Ken McCallum, the Director General of MI5, has revealed his appreciation for the popular spy thriller series 'Slow Horses', describing himself as a "Slow Horses man". The Apple TV+ show, which features Sir Gary Oldman as the dishevelled head of a group of exiled MI5 agents, is often seen as a stark contrast to the more polished portrayal of espionage found in the James Bond franchise.
The revelation came via a video posted on MI5's official Instagram account, where Sir Ken was asked about his views on "friends over the river at MI6". While acknowledging that "there is room for both James Bond and Slow Horses", he personally leaned towards the latter. He also took the opportunity to dispel any notions of real-world rivalry between the intelligence agencies, stating, "the truth is they are our friends, they are our colleagues."
Speaking at the National Archives, Sir Ken elaborated on the collaborative nature of the UK's security apparatus. He explained that both MI5 and MI6, alongside the police and other organisations, operate as a unified team. Each entity contributes its specific expertise to a collective effort aimed at safeguarding the nation.
'Slow Horses' is adapted from Mick Herron's acclaimed series of novels and first aired in 2022. The show has garnered a significant following for its gritty and often darkly humorous depiction of the intelligence world. Sir Gary Oldman, who plays the lead character Jackson Lamb, previously described the series as showcasing the "slightly shady, dirty side of espionage," akin to a "PG Tips, Tescos version of it I guess."
The series features a strong ensemble cast, including Dame Kristin Scott Thomas as MI5 Director General Diana Taverner, Jack Lowden as agent River Cartwright, and Sir Jonathan Pryce as Cartwright's on-screen grandfather, a retired senior intelligence official. With the sixth season anticipated for release in September and a seventh in 2027, the show continues to explore the less glamorous, yet often compelling, aspects of British intelligence work.